RIKON Helical-cutterhead Jointers

Helical cutterheads make sharpening and setting jointer knives unnecessary, because they feature replaceable carbide inserts instead of steel knives. The helical cutterheads on these two new jointers from RIKON have four-edged inserts that cut on the shear angle, for superior surface smoothness.

RIKON’s 6-in. Jointer has a four-row cutterhead with 28 carbide inserts. A 1HP (110-volt) totally enclosed, fan-cooled (TEFC) motor spins it at 5,500 RPM. The machine’s cast-iron infeed and outfeed tables provide an overall workpiece support length of 46-1/2 in., and a quick depth-setting mechanism on the infeed table adjusts it for up to 1/8-in.-deep cuts. Its all-steel cabinet sets the tables 32-1/2 in. from the floor. The jointer weighs 256 lbs.

The four-row cutterhead on RIKON’s larger 8″ Jointer has 12 more inserts than its sibling (40 overall), and their four edges are easy to change when they dull or get nicked by loosening a Torx screw. This 434-lb. jointer has a 2HP (220-volt) TEFC motor that spins the cutterhead at 5,500 RPM, and its cast-iron table platform offers 73-1/2 in. of workpiece support with the same quick depth-setting mechanism as the smaller jointer. Its steel cabinet elevates the tables to a working height of 31-5/8 in.

The cast-iron fences on both models are 4-7/8 in. tall and 35 in. long; they move across the tables on a rack-and-pinion gear and can be tilted from 90 to 45 degrees for beveling work. A 4-in.-dia. dust port connects the jointers to dust collection. Spring-loaded guards and a raised, easy-to-reach control box with a paddle-style kill switch make these machines safer to use, and two push blocks are also included.